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The field of the invention is medical imaging and more particularly collimator apparatus to be used in combined imaging modality systems and still more particularly retractable PET collimator apparatus for use in combined CT-PET systems.
Throughout this specification, in the interest of simplifying this explanation, an organ to be imaged will be referred to generally as an xe2x80x9corgan of interestxe2x80x9d and prior art and the invention will be described with respect to a hypothetical organ of interest. In addition, the phrase xe2x80x9ctranslation axisxe2x80x9d will be used to refer to an axis along which a patient is translated through an imaging system during data acquisition.
The medical imaging industry has developed many different types of imaging systems that are useful for diagnostic purposes. Two of the more widely used systems include computerized tomography (CT) systems and positron emission tomography (PET) systems.
In CT systems, an x-ray source projects a fan-shaped beam which is collimated to lie within an X-Y plane of a Cartesian coordinate system, termed the xe2x80x9cCT imaging plane.xe2x80x9d The x-ray beam passes through an organ of interest, such as the torso of a patient, and impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the transmitted radiation is dependent upon the attenuation of the x-ray beam by the organ of interest and each detector produces a separate electrical signal that is a measurement of the beam attenuation. The attenuation measurements from all the detectors are acquired separately to produce a transmission profile.
Third generation CT systems include a base support for supporting the CT source and detector for rotation about the translation axis. To accommodate system tilt and reduce the overall system height and width dimensions, the source and detector are typically mounted axially along the translation axis with respect to the base support via a slip ring that provides power to the source and detector and also provides a data bus for transferring collected data to an image processor and archive.
In third generation CT systems the source and detector are rotated on the base support within the imaging plane and around the organ of interest so that the angle at which the x-ray beam intersects the organ constantly changes. A group of x-ray attenuation measurements from the detector array at a given angle is referred to as a xe2x80x9cviewxe2x80x9d and a xe2x80x9cscanxe2x80x9d of the object comprises a set of views made at different angular orientations during one revolution of the x-ray source and detector. Using various data collection and manipulation techniques CT data can be used to generate two and three dimensional images of the organ of interest.
Unlike CT systems that rely on an external X-ray source to generate image data, PET systems rely on an energy source that resides within an organ of interest. To this end, positrons are positively charged electrons which are emitted by radio nuclides that have been prepared using a cyclotron or other device. The radio nuclides most often employed in diagnostic imaging are fluorine-18, carbon-11, nitrogen-13 and oxygen-15. Radio nuclides are employed as radioactive tracers called xe2x80x9cradiopharmaceuticalsxe2x80x9d by incorporating them into substances such as glucose or carbon dioxide.
To use a radiopharmaceutical in PET imaging, the radiopharmaceutical is injected into a patient and accumulates in an organ, vessel or the like, which is to be imaged. It is known that specific radiopharmaceuticals become concentrated within certain organs or, in the case of a vessel, that specific radiopharmaceuticals will not be absorbed by a vessel wall. Thus, to image a specific organ or interest, a radiopharmaceutical known to accumulate either within the organ of interest or within a fluid that passes through the organ of interest can be selected. The process of concentrating often involves processes such as glucose metabolism, fatty acid metabolism and protein synthesis.
After the radiopharmaceutical becomes concentrated within an organ of interest and while the radio nuclides decay, the radio nuclides emit positrons. The positrons travel a very short distance before they encounter an electron and, when the positron encounters an electron, the positron is annihilated and converted into two photons, or gamma rays. This annihilation event is characterized by two features which are pertinent to medical imaging and particularly to medical imaging using photon emission tomography (PET). First, each gamma ray has an energy of essentially 511 keV upon annihilation. Second, the two gamma rays are directed in substantially opposite directions.
In PET imaging, if the general locations of annihilations can be identified in three dimensions, a three dimensional image of an organ of interest can be reconstructed for observation. To detect annihilation locations, a PET camera is employed. An exemplary PET camera includes a plurality of detectors and a processor which, among other things, includes coincidence detection circuitry. For the purposes of this explanation it will be assumed that a PET camera includes detectors that are arranged to form an annular gantry about a PET imaging area. Each time an approximatly 511 keV photon impacts a detector, the detector generates an electronic signal or pulse which is provided to the processor coincidence circuitry.
The coincidence circuitry identifies essentially simultaneous pulse pairs which correspond to detectors which are essentially on opposite sides of the imaging area. Thus, a simultaneous pulse pair indicates that an annihilation has occurred on a straight line between an associated pair of detectors. Over an acquisition period of a few minutes millions of annihilations are recorded, each annihilation associated with a unique detector pair. After an acquisition period, recorded annihilation data can be used via any of several different well known back projection procedures to construct images of the organ of interest.
In the case of PET systems, PET data can be collected simultaneously from a volume within an object of interest so that a 3D image can be generated. While there are several advantages to generating 3D images, many diagnostic requirements do not require such complex images and in these cases two dimensional xe2x80x9cslicexe2x80x9d images are sufficient.
Where 2D images will suffice, 2D images are preferred as the time required to acquire data needed to generate two dimensional images is less than that required to acquire data to generate three dimensional images. In addition to increasing system throughput (i.e., the number of imaging sessions that can be completed within a day), faster acquisition times increase patient comfort (i.e., reduce time during which patient must remain still) and, because the duration over which a patient must remain still is minimized, often result in images having reduces artifacts (i.e., the likelihood of patient movement is reduced as the acquisition time is shortened). In addition to reducing acquisition time, 2D data processing algorithms are simpler than 3D algorithms and processing procedures are therefore expedited.
In order to increase system versatility many conventional PET systems are capable of both 2D and 3D data acquisition. To this end a collimator is provided that is capable of restricting photons that pass through to a PET detector to within a series of parallel and adjacent planes. When 2D acquisition is required the collimator is positioned between the object of interest and the PET detector. When 3D acquisition is required the collimator is removed from between the object and detector.
In most PET systems that include a collimator, a collimator support is attached to the annular PET gantry axially along the translation axis. Thus, during 2D data acquisition the collimator is positioned within the gantry and during 3D acquisition the collimator is displaced outside the gantry and supported by the collimator support adjacent the gantry.
Each of the different imaging modalities typically has uses for which it is particularly advantageous. For example, CT systems that employ X-rays are useful for generating static images of bone and the like while PET systems are useful for generating dynamic or functional images of dynamic occurrences such as blood flow and the like.
For various reasons, in some diagnostic applications, it is advantageous to generate images that include both static and functional characteristics. To this end, one solution has been to sequentially use separate imaging systems to gather both functional and static imaging data sets and then combine those sets or corresponding images to generate unified functional/static images. For example, a CT system may be used to generate a CT image and subsequently a PET system may be used to generate a PET image, the two images being combined thereafter to generate the unified image.
Unfortunately, where unified images are required, several configuration and processing problems have to be overcome. First, after functional and dynamic image data has been collected, there has to be some way to align the functional and dynamic images so that the unified image precisely reflects relative anatomical positions. To this end, in some cases, fiducial markers have been employed. For example, a metallic button with a positron emitter can be placed on the surface of a patient""s skin which is detectable by both the CT and PET systems. By aligning the marker in the resulting images the images can be aligned.
Second, where two separate imaging configurations are employed a patient has to be moved from one configuration to the next between acquisition sessions. Movement increases the likelihood that the patient""s positions during the two imaging sessions will change thus tending to reduce the possibility of accurate alignment (i.e., relative positions of organs or the like could change during movement). The possibility of misalignment is exacerbated by the fact that often imaging session schedules will not allow both CT and PET imaging processes to be performed during the same day. Thus, overall diagnostic value of the resulting unified image can be reduced appreciably through movement between acquisition periods.
One solution to eliminate the need to move patient""s between acquisition periods is to provide a dual CT-PET imaging system. Referring to FIG. 2, one exemplary CT-PET system 10 includes both a CT imaging configuration 14 and a PET imaging configuration 16 arranged sequentially along a single translation axis 40 with their relative positions fixed. In FIG. 2 the CT system 14 includes a CT base support 30, a CT source 24 and a CT detector 26, source 24 and detector 26 mounted to support 30 for rotation about axis 40. Source 24 generates fan beam 28 that is directed at detector 26.
Among other components, PET system 16 includes an annular PET detector 36 mounted in a detector gantry 32, a PET collimator 38 and a collimator support 44. As illustrated, collimator 38 is in the parked position supported outside detector 38 by support 44. collimator 38 is moveable into and out of detector 36 along the arrows collectively identified by numeral 42.
A support 20 for a support table 12 is positioned adjacent the system 10 with the table 12 moveable along translation axis 40. Here CT and PET systems 14, 16, respectively, can be used simultaneously or sequentially to acquire both CT and PET sets of imaging data in a relatively short time and without moving the patient from one imaging system to another. The end result is less patient movement, less time to gather required data and better alignment of resulting images to provide a more accurate unified image. Unfortunately, despite their advantages, dual CT-PET systems also have several shortcomings.
First, CT X-rays often scatter within an imaging area and, where not properly shielded, can be detected by an adjacent PET detector thereby rendering collected PET data essentially useless for diagnostic purposes. To overcome this problem, referring again to FIG. 2, a PET detector 36 in a combined CT-PET system can be equipped with a first lead shield 34 between the CT system 14 and the PET detector 36. In addition, because X-rays often bounce around an imaging room, a second lead shield is often provided on a side of the PET detector 36 opposite the first shield 34 to minimize detection of stray X-rays. In the cases where a PET detector includes a collimator 38, the collimator 38 may operate as the second lead shield so that only a single lead shield, in addition to the collimator, is required.
Second, dual imaging systems often require relatively long imaging bore lengths. Referring yet again to FIG. 2, the bore length D1 is the system length along translation axis 40 and includes adjacent segments required to accommodate each of a CT imaging area, (i.e., CT source 24 and detector 26 in the same trans-axial planar space), CT base support 30, PET detector gantry 32 and PET collimator support 44. In addition to requiring a large space in radiology departments, extended bore lengths can cause patients mental anguish as most patients are relatively unfamiliar with complex imaging systems and therefore most patients experience at least some anxiety while being translated through an imaging system bore. In addition to being unhealthy for the patient, mental anguish can also have an effect on imaging quality as anxiety often leads to patient movement.
Moreover, because the translation axis 40 is relatively long, support table 12 needs to extend a relatively long distance in order to accommodate the system configuration. While every effort is made to provide stiff supports and tables so that vertical alignment within CT and PET imaging areas can be maintained, when a patient is positioned on a table and the table is extended to accommodate the axial length of dual imaging systems, it has been found that the tables often sag such that the CT and PET data sets collected are mis-aligned along the translation axis 40. Exacerbating matters is the fact that over time stiffness of some supports and tables has been known to deteriorate. While stiffer tables and supports are an option, increased stiffness is a relatively expensive proposition as exotic configurations and materials have to be used to achieve greater stiffness.
Third, referring again to FIG. 2, because of the need for both of the CT base support 30 and the lead shield 34 between the CT and PET detectors 26, 38, respectively, there is a relatively large distance between the CT and PET imaging areas which results in increased acquisition times. Once again, longer acquisition times increase patient discomfort and therefore often result in patient movement and hence image artifacts.
It has been recognized that the CT base support defines an essentially unused annular space between the CT imaging area and the PET gantry. It has also been recognized that with only minimal modifications to the collimator support, the collimator support can fit within the unused annular space. Thus, it has been recognized that the overall bore length in a dual CT-PET system can be reduced by modifying the relative positions of the CT imaging area, collimator support, PET gantry and lead shields so that the collimator support is positioned within the annular space and the collimator can be parked within the annular space during 3D image data acquisition. To this end, an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a CT source and detector, a CT support having front and rear oppositely facing ends, the source and detector mounted to the front end so as to oppose each other and for rotation about a translation axis passing through a CT imaging area, the CT support also forming an annular parking space axially adjacent along the translation axis to the CT imaging area, an annular PET detector having front and rear oppositely facing ends, the PET detector positioned such that the front end of the PET detector is adjacent the rear end of the CT support and an annular collimator mounted to the PET detector for movement between a first position wherein the collimator is disposed within the PET detector and a second position wherein the collimator is outside the PET detector and at least partially within the parking space.
At least some embodiments include a collimator support mounted to the PET detector and extending from the front end of the PET detector at least part way into the parking space and the collimator is mounted to the collimator support for movement. Here the collimator support is typically mounted to the front end of the PET detector. The support may include rails and in that case the collimator would be mounted for movement along the rails.
Some embodiments further include a radiation shield mounted to the second end of the PET detector. This shield is provided to block stray radiation from entering the Pet detector from the side of the PET detector opposite the CT imaging area. On the side of the PET detector facing the CT imaging area the PET collimator operates to block stray radiation. When the collimator is positioned within the PET gantry during 3D acquisition, a wall of the collimator facing the CT imaging area operates to block stray radiation and when the collimator is positioned in the parking space during 2D acquisition, a wall of the collimator facing opposite the CT imaging area operates to block stray radiation.
In addition to accommodating placement of the collimator support and parked collimator within the parking space, by moving the stationary radiation detector to the side of the PET gantry opposite the CT imaging system, the bore length between oppositely the CT and PET imaging planes is reduced by at least the width of the radiation shield which results in faster data acquisition sessions (i.e., faster throughput), greater patient comfort and higher quality images.
These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment does not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention and reference is made therefore, to the claims herein for interpreting the scope of the invention.